Catina Crawford, RN. (photo by Donn Jones)
Catina Crawford, RN, works in Women’s Health at Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital. She is one of the latest Vanderbilt Health DAISY Award winners.
From the nomination
“When my daughter was born at 36 weeks, our joy was instantly mixed with fear as her blood sugar began to drop. In those first fragile hours, when everything felt overwhelming and uncertain, one nurse stepped in and changed our entire experience. I will never forget the compassion, patience, and genuine kindness Catina brought into our room. She wasn’t just doing a job, she was caring for our family as though we were her own. Catina answered every question without hesitation and without ever making us feel like a burden. No concern was too small, and no moment too busy for her to pause, explain, and reassure us. She had a way of bringing calm into the chaos, and her confidence and empathy gave us strength we didn’t even realize we needed.
“What touched us even more was the way she treated our older daughter. She took the time to ask about her, talk with her, make her feel included, and ensure she wasn’t lost in the swirl of medical terms and quiet worries. That simple kindness meant the world; it reminded us we were seen as a whole family, not just a medical case. Even though her patient was our newborn, she never forgot about me either. Catina checked on how I was feeling, if I needed anything, if I had eaten, if I was holding up emotionally.
“It takes a rare kind of nurse to care so fully and so naturally for everyone in the room. She was our light in a very vulnerable moment. Her compassion shaped our first memories with our daughter — memories that could have been filled with fear but instead are filled with gratitude. She embodies everything the DAISY Award stands for. We will never forget her and will always be grateful for the love and comfort she gave our family at a time we needed it most.”
About DAISY Awards
The DAISY Award is a recognition for extraordinary nurses who exemplify compassion toward patients and families.
Vanderbilt Health distributes the award in partnership with The DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 1999 to honor the memory of J. Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old man who died of complications of the autoimmune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Barnes’ family was moved by the care they received from his nurses and wanted to recognize them to preserve his memory. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
Vanderbilt Health nurse committees determine the individual recipients. Previous recipients of the DAISY Award are here. The award is open to all licensed nurses, and anyone can nominate — including co-workers, patients and their families.
